Means for laterally controlling aircraft



Nov. 15, 1938. G a FENTON 2,136,845

MEANS FOR LATERALLY CONTROLLING AIRCRAFT Filed. Feb. 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 15, 1938p fig. 2.

e. B. FENTON 2,136,845 I TERALLY C N Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES MEANS FOR LATERALLY CONTROLLING AIRCRAFT George Burrell Fenton, Brough, ne'arHull, England, assignor to Blackburn Aircraft Limite Brough, near Hull, England Application February 7, 1938, Serial him-189,253 In Great Britain November l1, 1936 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in means for laterally controlling aircraft. i

According to this invention the means comprises a main flap on the supporting surfaces at each side of the aircraft, upper and lower subsidiary flaps on each main flap adapted to be raised and lowered respectively with respect to the main flap and means for operating the subsidiary flaps independently of the main flaps, said means acting to raise the upper subsidiary flap on one side of the machine and lower the lower subsidiary'flap on the opposite side while the remaining flaps remain against the main flaps and vice versa.

The actuating mechanism, for operating said subsidiary flaps from the cockpit, interconnects the upper subsidiary flap on one main flap with the lower subsidiary flap on the other main flap so that when, for instance, the lower subsidiary flap on the port main flap is lowered, then the upper subsidiary flap on the starboard main flap is raised, while the upper subsidiary fiap on the port main flap and the lower subsidiary flap on the starboard main flap remain-flat against the main flaps. It will be understood that when the lower subsidiary flap on the starboard main flap is lowered then the upper subsidiary flap on the port main flap will be raised, in this case the upper subsidiary flap on the starboard main flap and the lower subsidiary flap on the port main flap remain fiat against the main flaps.

The subsidiary flaps can be adjusted to, and set at, any predetermined angles to the main flaps.

The subsidiary flaps may be formed by flaps pivoted to the upper and lower surfaces of the main flap preferably adjacent to its trailing edge so that they lie flush with its upper and lower surfaces. Alternatively, they may be formed by dividing the trailing edge of the main flap and hinging the divided parts so that they can be moved apart one from the other.

The means for improving lateral control according to this invention may be used in conjunction with the means for increasing lift, in which the trailing edge of the wing is formed with a flap at each side of the aircraft, which is adjustable angularly and is provided with a lower flap which are so geared together that on adjustment of the trailing edge flap downwardly the lower flap separates angularly from the trailing edge flap. The lower flap only extends for a predetermined length of each wing from the centre outwards and the remainder of the trailing edge flap at the end of each wing is fitted with theyindependently operated subsidiary flaps as hereinbefore described.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of construction by way of example the invention is shown applied to monoplane wings I! having trailing edge flaps with both geared and independently operated flaps. In these draw- 1ngs:- V

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the aircraft wings and part of the body.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged sections on the lines? 2--2, 3-3 and. 44, respectively in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 3 but illustrates a modified form of the subsidiary flaps.

In the drawings the port and starboard wings a. and b respectively are provided with hinged trailing edge flaps a I) which extend for the greater part of the length of the trailing edge from the fuselage outwards. These flaps are 20 mounted to be adjusted downwards from the full line position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 to the dotted position, in which movement they may or may not open a slot between the flap and the main part of the wing.

These flaps a and b are provided with lower main flaps a2, b which extend for a part of the length of the trailing edge flaps from the root outwards and these lower flaps a 1) are so connected with the trailing edge flaps that when the latter are depressed, the lower flaps move from a position in which they lie flush with the trailing edge flaps as shown in full lines in Fig. 4 into a position in which these flaps are separated angu- 35 larly as shown in dotted lines in this figure, the amount of separation being proportional to the angle of depression of the trailing edge flap.

Outward from the end of the lower flaps a b the trailing edge flaps are provided with up- 40 per and lower subsidiary flaps, those in the port wing being marked 0 and c and those in the starboard wing d and d respectively. These subsidiary flaps are operated independently of the trailing edge flap in such a manner that when the flap 0 is lowered the flap d is raised as shown in the drawings, the flaps c and (1 then remaining fiat against the trailing edge flap. If, however, the flap c is raised then the flap il will be lowered, and in this case the flaps c and (1 will remain against the trailing edge flaps.

Instead of making the subsidiary flaps as plates accommodated in recesses in the trailing edge flaps as shown in Figs. 1-4 they may be made by splitting the trailing edge of the trailing edge flap as shown in Fig. 5 to form upper and lower flaps e, e

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In aircraft, the combination of trailing edge flaps on the supporting surfaces at each side of the aircraft, and ailerons on said flaps, each comprising upper and lower sections, means operatively connecting the said sections so that only one of them on each side of the aircraft is oper ated at a time, the upper section on one wing being connected with the lower section on the other wing so that the said upper section is raised whenever the said lower section is lowered.

2. In aircraft, the combination of trailing edge flaps on the supporting surfaces at each side of the aircraft, lower main flaps on said trailing edge flap extending for a part of the length of the trailing edge flap from the centre outwards, said lower flaps being so connected to the trailing edge that on angular adjustment of the trailing edge downwardly the lower flaps separate angularly from the trailing edge flap, and ailerons on the remainder of the trailing edge flap, each aileron comprising upper and lower sections, means operatively connecting the said sections so that only one of them on each side of the aircraft is operated at a time, the upper section on one wing being connected with the lower section on the other wing so that the said upper section is raised whenever the said lower section is lowered.

3. In aircraft, the combination of trailing edge flaps on the supporting surfaces at each side of the aircraft, and ailerons formed by dividing the trailing edges of the trailing edge flaps to form upper and lower sections, means operatively connecting the said sections so that only one of them on each side of the aircraft is operated at a time, the upper section on one wing being connected with the lower section on the other wing so that the said upper section is raised whenever the said lower section is lowered.

4; In aircraft, the combination of trailing edge flaps on the supporting surfaces at each side of the aircraft, means for operating said trailing edge flaps, lower main flaps on the underside of each of said trailing edge flaps at its inboard por tion, means for connecting said lower main flaps to the trailing edge so that on adjustment of the trailing edge flap downwardly the lower main flaps separate angularly from the trailing edge is raised whenever the said lower section is .0

lowered.

GEORGE BURRELL FENTON. 

